Kendall's Famous Burgers & Ice Cream

kendall's owners don't care for the space they rent or own.

the employees are quite unfriendly.
the minimum amount of cleaning is done.
the lobby/sitting area just needs some TLC and employees who take pride in their job.

the ice cream is to die for. its really the only thing that brings me back. burgers and fries are good. average. and nothing special.

there is only one credit card machine in the store, so if you buy ice cream they have to 'run' to the back to process it. you will normally find one person at the ice cream counter...on a busy summer night, the job of at least 2.

Anyone here old enough to recall the film _Billy Jack_?

Early on in the film, some Amerinds were being harassed by some racist thugs in an ice cream shop with a "Whites Only" policy which serves as a catalyst for an amazing fight sequence which starts in the ice cream shop and ends up in a free for all in a nearby park where the movie's titular hero ends up kicking the shit out of dozens of townies in a scene that's still considered a classic by action film fanatics.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=ls187Ng23LA

Well, much to my surprise, 37 years later, both the ice cream shop and the park across the street still exists and I had a chance to visit both places during my most recent visit to Prescott.

The place is now almost twice as large as it was in '71 with a whole new section expanded in the back and with the both booths and tables crowding the once spacious front of the place.

When I was there yesterday ( Monday afternoon ) the place was crowded with what seemed to be a cross section of locals even thugh the weather was only in the low seventies so I have to assume this is a fairly popular hang out and rightly so.

The tub of vanilla ice cream I scarfed down was pretty damned good but it might have just been childhood movie nostalgia influencing my bias on this matter.

I can't believe that this place got such good reviews. I went there with a friend, just looking for a quick burger and fries. The burgers were so dry and tough that even though we were starving, neither of us could eat more than half of our burgers. The place is cute with a real 50's look, but that isn't a good enough reason to eat there.

For a good burger I'd recommend Hotel St. Michael. Not much more expensive and worlds better.

This great location and look from the street drew us in. The burgers were named with catchy names that had us interested. What we got were small burgers, dry, and unremarkable. For 6 bucks I got less than what I would have received at In and Out.

Don't bother, rather try Brown Bag

The burgers are made from frozen patties. They are dry , and flavorless. Infamous at best.

The employees are not friendly , and they seemingly have a hard time completing an accurate order. I went in with 2 friends and 2 of 3 orders came back messed up.

I would recommend trying somewhere else if you are looking to enjoy a burger.

I paid around $8 for a 1/4 pound burger and an ice tea.

Irritating, sparse decor smacks you in the face upon arrival. After you have the chance to order from the over priced menu, you get the opportunity to enjoy one of they mangy booths that are sticky, scratched, nicked, and in need of a cleaning or repair.

Ordered the chili cheese fries and have to say that they were terrible. The fries look appetizing, but they lack real flavor. The same can also be said for the mediocre chili on them as well. As for the cheese, kinda hard to screw up liquid cheese. Overall would have been better if it was real shredded cheese.

Only positive that nets this establishment 2 stars is the extremely nice staff that was in there.

Following my recent vist to Kendall's, which, I might add, is by no means my first visit, but is most likley my last, I have some comments to share.

I first started coming here back when it was still Dent's and Billiy Jack was a name people still recognized. Now I wish I could get Sherman to fire up the WayBack Machine as it just isn't what it used to be.

Disapponting. Even a bit depressing. Once a place I would reccommend for Burgers, now I will steer visitors away.

The space is loud; one rowdy group can drown out any conversation conducted below a bellow. Two groups is impossible.

The tables are clean but the floor is filthy. Black and white linoleum is classy and looks cool in a burger join, but you got to keep them clean. Suspend the "Five-second Rule" here.

The service is poor; based on my experience, you should be prepared to wait for a break in the conversation the cashier is having with a buddy to order, and even then he will not get it right. So busy to resume his dialogue, he was unwilling to lets me inform him about my add-ons. Still didn't get it right and was pretty defensive about it. (BTW they were NOT rushed - ours was the only group ordering!)

Onion Rings. Huge, suitable for a squad or family. Also greasy and tasteless. They offer no portion for regular people. I threw most of them away. I am sure an oil slick is forming at the landfill as I write.

The buns were right off the shelf; not good, but not really bad.

Better burgers can be had elsewhere.

Remember the 1971 film "Billy Jack," with Tom Laughlin?

[Refer to the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRnra0KRnDk]

Likely not.

Don't worry, I have no recollection of the film either (I had yet to be born).

Nonetheless, the ice cream shop portrayed at the beginning of the YouTube clip took place in none other than "Kendall's."

The burgers are made-to-order and are above average. Further, a wide variety of toppings are available -- in form that is similar to a salad bar.

The fish & chips are also above average.

I give a bit of an inflated rating due to its historical value. Allow me to elaborate with the following:

- The prices are a steep for what you get.
- Sticky tables.
- The place needs a bit of a makeover (ex. holes in seats, flooring is uneven and coming apart, etc).
- And finally, the restroom is not exactly the cleanest in the world.

Nonetheless, visit Kendall's for its historical value and a quick bite to eat.

Kendall's is a Prescott favorite and I really wanted to like the food. I like the ice cream. I like the atmosphere. I like the people. My standards for a burger joint are low, I don't expect them to have gourmet cuisine! However, our odds have been 50-50 at this place. Sometimes the beef is spoiled, with that rotten meat smell and flavor that is impossible to overcook away (and they tried!). Sometimes the fish is freezer burned. I want to like Kendall's, however I can't go on being disappointed forever. What they need is a woman in the kitchen. The boys in the back are far too quick to salvage spoiled food.

A friend said this was the place to go in Prescott. I had a pretty decent veggie burger and a friend got a *mountain* of fries. Overall pretty standard fare, the fries were quite good and the portion was generous. The atmosphere was warm and alive.